Something fishy is going on in south Florida
Posted 6/20/2006 2:46 PM ET
MIAMI — Would you like to go to a Florida Marlins game? Would you like to take along 30,000 of your closest friends?
Don't worry. Plenty of room. Count on it.

If the citizens of south Florida have been paying attention on their way to the beach or the Heat game — and considering the attendance, they haven't — the Marlins are the hottest team in baseball.

The team with the $15 million payroll — not enough to buy one Alex Rodriguez — was 18-6 from May 22 through Monday. Nobody did better. The team that had used 18 rookies had won eight straight games.

"I told our guys in spring training, 'I expect you to win,'" said rookie manager Joe Girardi. "Just because you're young is not an excuse. You have a big league uniform on."

Yep, the Marlins are rolling. One thing, though. The tickets are selling like IRS audit notices.

Barry Bonds? Came here and couldn't break 10,189.

The Braves? They were in town last week. One crowd was 6,940.

The Marlins' average attendance is just over 11,000. Worst in the league, of course. Next is Pittsburgh, at 22,000. Double.

"You've got to remember, a lot of our kids are used to playing in front of 6,000 people," Girardi said. "Some of the crowds we get are big to them."

But about the ambience.

Dolphins Stadium is made to accommodate 75,000 screamers for a football game. A crowd of 8,000 baseball fans gets swallowed like an aspirin. It can seem as quiet as a green when someone is getting ready to putt.

"When you can hear the other team's bullpen phone ring," reliever Joe Borowski said, "it's not a good sign."

"You hear everything," pitcher Matt Herges said. "When you're on the field, you have to block it out. But it's hard to."

At least Girardi can't hear any leather-lunged second-guessing in the dugout.

"The fans block it out. Those fans," he said, pointing to the electric fans on the ceiling.

Can't put all the blame on the populace. They've seen the Marlins twice win the World Series, and then twice dismantled.

"I appreciate the people who do come out," Girardi said.

Can't put all the blame on the Marlins officials. They're not lying when they say every summer day in south Florida, it looks like rain. A new ballpark with a retractable roof would be nice. There is new hope the state might help pay for one.

Go to a game and you get the idea the Marlins are squatters, playing on Dan Marino Boulevard. The seats are in Dolphins colors, with Dolphin logos. The names of past greats on the stadium façade include Don Shula and Larry Csonka. I half expected to see a coin toss.

Most of the few Florida jerseys worn by fans in the stands carried names such as Rodriguez and Conine. Marlins from the 2003 champions.

One kid, though was holding up a hand-made placard: "His name is Dan Uggla."

Dan Uggla. That would be Florida's starting second baseman.

Clearly, the Marlins must try to appeal to different tastes. Between innings, the jumbo screen showed scantily-clad cheerleaders dancing on top of the dugout, while the message board next to it welcomed a Cub Scout troop from West Palm Beach, and wished Zach a happy 14th birthday.

The Marlins are young, dashing, unspoiled by big money. And they're winning, now 29-37 after a horrendous 11-31 start. Ought to mean something, sooner or later.

"Everybody wants 50,000 in their stadium. That'd be wonderful," pitcher Dontrelle Willis said. "People know. I know when I drive around, people are knowledgeable. You just wish they'd come to the park."

And hopefully bring a date.

06-21-2006, 11:00 AM

TeamBoone

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

I truly don't understand this.

South Florida begged for a team and finally got it. From that day on, they have NEVER supported it very well. Flashes of grandeur, yeah... but crowds under 10,000 on a semi regular basis is not acceptable. The Marlins should be yanked from South Florida.

06-21-2006, 11:02 AM

dabvu2498

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

San Antonio says hello:wave:

06-21-2006, 11:04 AM

oneupper

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeamBoone

I truly don't understand this.

South Florida begged for a team and finally got it. From that day on, they have NEVER supported it very well. Flashes of grandeur, yeah... but crowds under 10,000 on a semi regular basis is not acceptable. The Marlins should be yanked from South Florida.

No...then HOW am I going to see the REDS play!! :(

06-21-2006, 11:35 AM

IslandRed

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeamBoone

I truly don't understand this.

South Florida begged for a team and finally got it. From that day on, they have NEVER supported it very well. Flashes of grandeur, yeah... but crowds under 10,000 on a semi regular basis is not acceptable. The Marlins should be yanked from South Florida.

I thought they did OK at first -- 3 million fans for the initial year. Then the next year, the strike killed all that momentum. They were building it back up, but Huizenga trashed any possibility of building on the 1997 Series win. That was the crippler.

It also doesn't help that the ballpark has no aesthetic value and is well removed from the happening spots in South Florida.

06-21-2006, 11:42 AM

smith288

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Would help if they didnt play in that crap hole of a baseball stadium (but a beautiful football stadium).

06-21-2006, 11:58 AM

oneupper

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandRed

It also doesn't help that the ballpark has no aesthetic value and is well removed from the happening spots in South Florida.

Bingo!

I would add:
It's hot, humid and rainy here during the summer months.
People prefer to be inside.
No public transport (for practical purposes)...gotta have a car to go to a game.
Lots of other things to do.

Naturally, the Marlins ownership is doing the ''build me a stadium'' thing, which is also pretty sickening.

The Latin fans here are into baseball and the metropolitan area is large...but things are just not working out business-wise.

06-21-2006, 12:04 PM

TeamBoone

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by oneupper

I would add:
It's hot, humid and rainy here during the summer months.
People prefer to be inside.
No public transport (for practical purposes)...gotta have a car to go to a game.
Lots of other things to do.

And why didn't they think of/consider all these things before begging for a baseball team? MLB should have thought of it too.

06-21-2006, 12:08 PM

oneupper

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeamBoone

And why didn't they think of/consider all these things before begging for a baseball team? MLB should have thought of it too.

I think they expected the team would have a new park by now (w/roof).

06-21-2006, 12:15 PM

Doc. Scott

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Portland's either not giving the Marlins any public money or not giving them as much as they want. San Antonio may be a smaller market, but it likely doesn't have this problem.

06-21-2006, 12:18 PM

Heath

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

I wonder if playing a few games in San Juan would be beneficial.

Just thinking out loud.

06-21-2006, 12:21 PM

oneupper

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heath

I wonder if playing a few games in San Juan would be beneficial.

Just thinking out loud.

Miami>San Juan>Montreal

06-21-2006, 01:06 PM

Yachtzee

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Or how about not approving owners like Huizenga or Loria? The Marlins could well have had better attendance and maybe a new stadium if they had leadership at the top who worked with their community rather than hold the team for ransom.

Loria has run two franchises into the ground. I think that's enough.

06-21-2006, 02:08 PM

savafan

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Wow, I just saw that the Marlins are only six games out of the Wild Card lead. How does this team do it?

06-21-2006, 02:32 PM

oneupper

Re: Something Fishy in South Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by savafan

Wow, I just saw that the Marlins are only six games out of the Wild Card lead. How does this team do it?